The Customer Is Always Right (Part 1) unfolds on a penthouse balcony where The Salesman (Josh Hartnett) approaches The Customer (Marley Shelton), who gazes out over the haunting landscape of Basin City. He offers her a cigarette, suggesting she appears weary of her life on the run, claiming he can save her. In a moment of passion, they share a kiss, only for the scene to turn tragic as he shoots her, leaving her to die in his arms. He reflects, pondering what she was fleeing from, while concluding that he will definitely cash her check come morning.
That Yellow Bastard (Part 1) introduces us to aging police officer John Hartigan (Bruce Willis), who, while patrolling the docks of Sin City, confronts the menace of serial child-killer Roark Junior (Nick Stahl), attempting to thwart his heinous intentions towards eleven-year-old Nancy Callahan (Makenzie Vega). The vile Junior, being the son of the corrupt Senator Roark (Powers Boothe), has his father’s financial influence backing him, leading Hartigan’s partner, Bob (Michael Madsen), to persuade him to abandon the pursuit. However, Hartigan, driven by his sense of justice, knocks out Bob and ventures into the warehouse where Junior holds Nancy hostage. Battling both his failing heart and the henchmen, Hartigan finds himself injured when Junior shoots him. Nonetheless, in a desperate confrontation, he manages to disarm Junior, inflicting permanent damage. Tragically, betrayal awaits as Bob, having accepted bribes from Roark Sr., shoots Hartigan in the back. With sirens approaching, Hartigan, accepting the impending sacrifice, cradles Nancy as he drifts into unconsciousness, believing that his life may be a fair exchange for hers.
In The Hard Goodbye, the narrative shifts to Marv (Mickey Rourke), who wakes after a passionate night to the horror of finding Goldie (Jaime King) murdered in his bed. Driven by remorse and a thirst for vengeance, he escapes the scene just as the police arrive. Despite warnings from his parole officer Lucille (Carla Gugino) to abandon his quest, Marv relentlessly interrogates informants to uncover the truth. A lead from a corrupt priest (played by Frank Miller) reveals that the Roark family orchestrated this tragedy, leading to further violence as Marv exacts revenge, only for hallucinations of Goldie to taunt him in his quest. After a series of confrontations and deceptive encounters, including with Kevin (Elijah Wood), the cannibal connected to the murders, Marv learns that Cardinal Patrick Henry Roark (Rutger Hauer) is behind the evil plotting. He takes justice into his own hands, leading to bloody confrontations with the corrupt clergy and ultimately facing imprisonment for his actions when he’s captured. The narrative crescendos as Marv is executed, having fulfilled his promise of revenge even at the ultimate cost.
The Big Fat Kill follows a different storyline where Shellie (Brittany Murphy) faces harassment from her abusive ex-boyfriend, Jackie Boy ([Benicio Del Toro]), prompting her current partner, Dwight (Clive Owen), to fiercely confront him. The conflict escalates as Jackie Boy, revealed to be the corrupt Detective Lieutenant Jonathan "Iron Jack" Rafferty, retreats to Old Town, igniting a clash with the residents there. When Gail (Rosario Dawson), the leader of the prostitutes, gets involved, the situation spirals out of control. After a deadly encounter that results in Jackie Boy’s demise at the hands of Miho ([Devon Aoki]), the tension only mounts as the repercussions of this murder threaten the fragile peace between the police and the prostitutes. Amidst the ensuing chaos, Dwight must navigate the dangers posed by the mob, trade Jackie Boy’s head for Gail, and ultimately face the grave consequences of their actions as the mob retaliates fiercely.
That Yellow Bastard (Part 2) catches up with Hartigan as he recovers in a hospital. Senator Roark warns him of the impending doom surrounding his incarceration, revealing that should he speak the truth, lives will be lost. After assuming the burden of prison time while receiving correspondence from Nancy, the heart-wrenching tale pivots when her letters cease and a severed finger arrives, pulling him back into the depths of darkness. As he embarks on the dangerous journey to locate her, he finds Nancy all grown up and now performing as an erotic dancer. The intertwining fates reveal that after all the pain, the yellow figure lurking is none other than the now disfigured Junior Roark, come back with seeds of vengeance. A heart-wrenching showdown ensues, where Hartigan ultimately sacrifices himself, reinforcing his belief that safeguarding Nancy’s life was worth the price of his own.
The Customer Is Always Right (Part 2) concludes with Becky, wounded but resolute, as she speaks to her mother on a cell phone while leaving the hospital. In a twist of fate, she encounters The Salesman, now disguised as a medical professional. His seemingly casual offer of a cigarette marks a turning point, as uncertainty looms over her life and future after she abruptly ends her call, leaving unanswered questions about her fate in the gritty world of Sin City.
